My 365-Day Journey to Mommy Abs - Part 1

I am a committed part-time gym rat...if there is such a thing. My goal, since time immemorial, has been to get washboard abs. Not just a flat tummy but nice sexy 4-6 pack abs. If you saw my filofax back during my university days, it would be filled with colourful scribbles of exam dates, list of homework and the number of crunches I did per day. Yep, I was obsessed. I would do 4 sets of 25 regular, oblique and reverse crunches on a normal day and would do twice as much on a good day. I had a lot of good days back then hence the small waist line and tight tummy. It helped that my dad got me a lifetime gym membership 18 years ago. I took advantage of this membership like a teenage boy would waste away in front of the TV upon discovering it had free porn. It was my choice of drug and I was hooked. The gym was my home away from home. After university and after getting a job with a decent monthly pay check, I got myself a personal trainer. Her name was Princess and she was like my BFF. I LOVED going to the gym. It was my happy place. Two personal trainers later, I met Mike and I have been working with him at least a couple of years before I had P. I would run, play badminton, go hiking or diving on the weekends or some activity that would involve me breaking a sweat...when school work permitted it (I was taking my Masters in Early Childhood Education then too). I was always out and about like a chipmunk on steroids. Sleep got in the way of living life to the fullest so I kept it at a minimum -- 3-4 hours a day on weekdays (Eep... BAD). I had a decent tummy back then. Decent enough that I can wear mid-rib baring tops confidently...rarely did but just knowing that I could gave me comfort. Sigh. Those were the days of my yonder youth... the year 10 BC -- Before Chocolate. Sigh.

Fast forward. I say hello to an enormous belly brought about by a wonderful and healthy pregnancy. I was obsessed about doing my first pregnancy right. Read books, googled 'HEALTHY PREGNANCY' way too often I think I read every internet article available online, and journaled my 9 months of belly bliss away. I ate right, gained the right amount of weight, took lamaze classes and even considered an all-natural, drug-free delivery. Then the unexpected happened. After 13 hours of labor and an unresponsive baby, I was due for a much-dreaded C-section. Ouch! Goodbye deep breathing exercises. Goodbye birth plan. Goodbye abs.

As if cutting me open wasn't enough, add a notorious mix of age (noticeable bodily changes happened when I hit 30 -- I think), a slower (much slower) metabolism (goodbye double rice), a hectic schedule of work and mommy duties AND a new-found love for sweets. I was so ready to bid adieu to my dream of having sexy abs... then this blog happened. My Sarcastic Journal of Sorts. After some gentle coaxing from some friends (my number one cheerleaders) and a healthy ingestion of alcohol-laced cocktails one rainy afternoon, the crazy idea of a mommy's journey to getting sexy Anne Curtis abs was born.

My inspiration -- Anne Curtis abs
If you think this is photoshopped -- check out the next photo.

This girl really works out and her abs are amazing!

The BIG QUESTION a.k.a. V's Monster-of-a-Challenge : Can a working 35 year-old single mother get Anne Curtis abs if she works out religiously and watches what she eats in 365 days? Let's see.

I started Project Mommy Abs last July 9, 2014. These were my stats:
Age: 35 years old
Height: 4 feet 11 3/4 inches (they won't let me round this off to 5 feet. Trust me, I tried...twice. Both times they said NO. Jerks!)
Weight: 39.1 kilos
Fat Percentage: 19.8%
Body Mass Index: 17.1

I went to the gym 3 times a week and would do 45-minutes of free weights with a personal trainer, did 30 minutes to an hour of cardio (either on a treadmill or a dance class) and I ate like a famished mad man every day and had a wonderful month-long adventure discovering all the restaurants along the gastronomic foodie strip called Jupiter. *face palm* The results after 26 days... I gained 4 pounds and my tummy is nowhere near (think Manila to Switzerland) Anne Curtis' abs. *I am screaming into my pillow now* My trainer promised to get my fat percentage and Body Mass Index on Wednesday so I'm bracing myself. Ugh. I failed. But no regrets... I had an amazing time discovering the best restos near my office and bonding over hour-long lunch breaks with my BFF:

• the mini chocolate croissants (and the dark chocolate bun) from the Yamato Bakery along Jupiter are truly drool-worthy

  

  Mishy captured my choco-famished-and-ready-to-attack face. Lol 

• the dark chocolate, lindt (dark chocolate) chilli and the Ferrero Rondoir (dark chocolate ferrero) gelato from Chocolatier are bowl-licking good and will send your troubles to the moon

• Frey's dark lemon and pepper is the best candy bar in the WORLD!!! Bought this from Chocolatier in Jupiter Street. Yep, the same restaurant that serves the world's best dark chocolate gelato.  
  
  
  
• Pino restaurant has the best Kare-Kareng Bagnet. Sorry, no photos. Mishy and I wiped the dish out before I had the sense to take my camera phone out of my bag. It was amazing!!! I also enjoyed their quinoa roll...THIS dish was healthy **beaming**
• Hatch 22's The Full Monty is a hearty breakfast even when shared. Just make sure you order 'The Morning After' for dessert... *ayayayayay*

  

  The Morning After -- split in two for weight-watching BFFs... NOT! Lol
  Chocolate chip waffle (we didn't see chocolate chips though), candied bacon and Nutella maple syrup

  

  Half a serving of the Full Monty
  Sunny side up, pork sausages, smoked bacon, mushrooms, baked beans, grilled tomatoes, toasted focaccia

• Razon's halo-halo is the best non-chocolate dessert along the Jupiter strip.
• I have yet to try the Burger Project. I will soon -- everyone deserves a red-meat cheat day

I should stop, I'm getting hungry.

So anyhow, I AM making a change. I must make a change if I want to stop my gut from growing. I WILL start eating healthier this week. I bought more fruits and veggies, started cooking my own food and will bring my meals to the office so I can cut down on eating out. It's a lot more work as I need to cook my meals in advance but I know going the extra healthy mile will bring me closer to my immediate goal -- a flat tummy. No, not the Anne Curtis Abs just yet... just a flatter tummy this time. I'm giving myself a month to trim my belly down. I have also started doing yoga and I plan to go everyday or at least five times a week. I know I can do this on top of my REAL priorities, which are... 

• to spend an hour of book reading and writing exercises with Paco after school
• 30 minutes of homework time everyday 
• an hour of dinner and fun Mommy-and-P time with him every night before I go to bed. 

P's First-Day-of-School outfit. Tee-hee

Awww...isn't he just the cutest little heartthrob?
Sorry, mommy-gushing moment...

Thing is, I go to bed earlier than P since I need to be up by 2am everyday. My son actually tucks me in every work night... unconventional I know, but it works for us. I'll blog about that soon.

So there... the cat's finally out of the bag. I figured posting the challenge will amp me up to REALLY work it. My first 26 days may have been a dud but this is a temporary slump. At least now I know where to eat during my cheat days. Just kidding. Half-meant. Of course a foodie on a diet needs a weekly cheat day! Right, Mish? *wink wink* The Burger Project Date soon, love!

My biggest win so far is teaching my little P to eat healthier. I have been cooking my veggie dishes the past 2 days and have been eating oatmeal and stewed apples for breakfast too. Curious P ventured and courageously decided to take a few bites from mommy's plate. Surprisingly, he enjoyed them and asked for more! He is now a certified stir-fried bok choy eater and enjoys mommy's oatmeal with cooked spiced apples (he used to hate oatmeal). Yipee! 

Yogini's breakfast -- oats with steamed milk and cooked apples
(added ground cinnamon and nutmeg)

Started snacking healthy too. I grab a banana or an apple when I feel the munchies and one of my favourite Sun Life clients, Dudz, gave me roasted cashew nuts and almonds as a treat over the weekend. Yes to healthier, organic snacks! It is indeed the smart-er choice. Check them out on Facebook.com/smartchoiceph.

I'm on my 6th coffee-free day too. I'm past the zombie-in-the-morning stage and I'm in the give-me-black-tea-or-I'll-snap stage now. And like my tummy situation... I know it'll get better in time. Oh yes, I've started snacking on POSITIVITY too. Does wonders. Plus it's calorie-free and doesn't cost a cent. I encourage you to try it sometime. Might change your life. It's reshaping my life now... and it's looking pretty sexy if you ask me. Well, happiness is sexy, right? :)